Month: June 2023

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Go Country 105

Corey Kent's a big fan of dad jokes

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There are “three tiers” to dad jokes, according to country singer, father of three and avid dad-jokes fan Corey Kent.

“Tier one usually starts when you have your first kid. Some people are advanced and start at tier one even before they have kids, but it's very rare,” explains Corey. “Tier one, you repeat the dad jokes that you’ve always heard, and repeat them with some confidence, and you’re usually laughing before everybody else.”

“Tier Two is [when] you’ve now probably had your second kid and gained the ability to put your own twist on the original dad jokes to make them unique,” he continues. “You’ve contained the urge to laugh a slight second longer and making it kind of awkward and forcing other people to laugh, either at you or with you.”

“The third tier is usually after kid three. This is where I’m at, not meaning to brag, but I'm definitely tier three,” Corey declares. “This is where you can now on the spot, come up with your own dad jokes. They're magical. It's like wizardry.”

“At this point, you're a pro. You now have the option to laugh before everyone and nobody laughs or you can make the pause so painfully awkward [that] people actually have to laugh to let you move on to the next sentence,” he notes. “So tier three is where you want to be.”

Corey notched his first #1 hit with “Wild As Her” in May. The track is featured on his Sony Music Nashville debut album, Blacktop, which dropped in June.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Eric Church's rolling out a new documentary

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Eric Church has announced his new documentary, Caught In The Act: A Film. The project celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Eric’s momentous live album, Caught In The Act. 

Arriving on June 23, the documentary will chronicle the process of making Eric’s live album and offer fans a behind-the-scenes look at his two-night concert at Chattanooga’s Tivoli Theatre. Special commentary from Eric, longtime manager John Peets, acclaimed producer Jay Joyce, and members of Eric’s band and crew will be featured, as well.

“When you're in the craziness of the moment, you’re not even sure what you’re looking at or experiencing, you just feel that it's different,” Eric recalls. “We went to the Tivoli because everyone in our world – the band, the crew, the fans – knew we were a part of something special and wanted to capture the fire that has got us here. So, we just started rolling cameras as we figured at least we'd have it for posterity.”

“It’s been sitting in the vault, and with the live album celebrating 10 years since its release, it felt like the right time to rewatch and share the journey we've been on together,” adds the “Springsteen” hitmaker.

Caught In The Act: A Film can be purchased on nugs.net beginning Friday, June 23.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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News Daypop

Ex-Starbucks manager wins $25.6 million lawsuit alleging she was fired for being White

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A federal jury on Monday found in favor of former Starbucks regional director Shannon Phillips, who sued the company for wrongfully firing her, claiming she was terminated for being White. Phillips, who worked for Starbucks for about 13 years and managed a region of stores in the area, was fired after the arrest of two Black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks in April 2018.

The New Jersey jury returned a verdict of $25.6 million, including $25 million for punitive damages and $600,000 in compensatory damages. The jury ruled unanimously after a six-day trial, the lawyers said, noting that Phillips will also be seeking back and front pay.

Phillips was fired in 2018 in the wake of two Black men getting arrested after sitting at a table at the Starbucks Spruce Street location in Philadelphia to wait for a business associate. The men settled their case against Starbucks for an undisclosed sum and also settled with the city of Philadelphia. After those arrests in 2018, Starbucks closed all 8,000 Starbuck’s U.S. locations for racial-bias training.

Phillips’ attorney said she was a scapegoat for the company to show action was being taken over the arrest of the two men. Phillips said in court documents that Starbucks “took steps to punish White employees who had not been involved in the arrests, but who worked in and around the city of Philadelphia, in an effort to convince the community that it had properly responded to the incident.” Phillips alleged: “I was terminated because I am White. If I was Black, I would not have been terminated. I was terminated because I complained of and objected to race discrimination.”

Editorial credit: Sergey Kohl / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

Daniel Penny indicted by NY grand jury in chokehold death of Jordan Neely on subway

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On Wednesday, grand jurors indicted Daniel Penny in the death of Jordan Neely, while occurred while both men were riding the subway in New York City.

Penny, a 24-year-old Marine veteran, was indicted on a second-degree manslaughter charge in the May 1 confrontation with Neely, a homeless man known subway busker who often performed as Michael Jackson. Penny and Neely were on an F train in Manhattan when Neely began engaging in “somewhat aggressive speech,” and allegedly telling passengers that “he was hungry, he was thirsty, that he didn’t care about anything, he didn’t care about going to jail, he didn’t care that he gets a big life sentence.” A portion of the confrontation was recorded by witnesses, which appeared to show Penny putting Neely in a chokehold on the train’s floor. Neely was unconscious when first responders reached him at the Broadway-Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street Station, before he was pronounced dead at a hospital. The city’s medical examiner said Neely died from “compression of neck (chokehold)” and declared his manner of death a homicide.

Neely’s family said the he struggled with his mental health for years, specially in the years since his mother was murdered in 2007. Penny, a white man, said in a videotaped statement on Sunday that he acted to protect himself and other passengers when he confronted Neely, who was Black: “I didn’t see a Black man threatening passengers. I saw a man threatening passengers.”

Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

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Go Country 105

Luke Bryan's changing up his set list, but playing the hits remains a priority

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Luke Bryan‘s gearing up for his highly anticipated 36-city Country On Tour.

The trek, which kicks off June 15 in Syracuse, New York, will feature fresh changes in Luke’s set list that may surprise longtime fans.

“Obviously, I tour pretty much every year. You always want to come out with new looks. I mean, I’m really lucky to have fans – I guess repeat people that come to the show quite a bit,” Luke shares with ABC Audio. “This year,  we’re playing some songs that we hadn’t played in quite a few years, songs that even were like Spring Break cuts and songs that I would go through my set and build the show [on].”

“These are songs that we look back and now, you know, we look at the streaming numbers and all that, and they’re doing great for us,” adds Luke.

However, that doesn’t mean he’s removing fan favorites like “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and “Play It Again.” Luke’s cognizant of the cost of concerts, and he’s prioritizing the big ol’ hits that fans want to hear.

“I’ll never be one of those artists that just kind of plays a bunch of random songs,” he says. “When people pay their hard-earned money, I want to try to play the hits that they came to see.”

Luke’s summer-ready single, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand,” is currently #24 and rising on the country charts.

For the full schedule of Luke’s Country On Tour and to grab tickets, visit lukebryan.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

Lee Greenwood to release box set ‘All Time Hits & American Anthems’

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Lee Greenwood has announced a box set full of his biggest hits in celebration of the country’s 247th birthday this July. All Time Hits & American Anthems, set for release on July 28, will bring together Greenwood’s classic albums American Patriot and The Definitive Collection in a specially designed box set. The release coincides with the 40th anniversary of “God Bless the U.S.A.” which Greenwood wrote in 1983 and released it the following year.

The Definitive Collection features 23 of Greenwood’s country hits in chronological order – from “It Turns Me Inside Out” (1982) to “We’ve Got It Made” (1990).  American Anthems will include patriotic numbers such as “America,” “America the Beautiful,” “The Pledge Of Allegiance,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Dixie,” “Star Spangled Banner,” “God Bless America.” and “God Bless the U.S.A.”

The set also includes an exclusive t-shirt that reads, “Ain’t No Doubt I Love This Land” and a personally signed card from Greenwood. Greenwood will appear live on TalkShopLive on June 27th at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT to talk about the new collection, participate in an interactive fan Q&A, and perform a special acoustic version of his signature song, “God Bless The U.S.A.” Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase All Time Hits & American Anthems during the event.

To pre-order All Time Hits & American Anthems, head here.

Editorial credit: mark reinstein / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Lauren Alaina and Lainey Wilson team up for ‘Thicc As Thieves’

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Lauren Alaina and Lainey Wilson have teamed up for the collaboration “Thicc As Thieves,” off Alaina’s ‘Unlocked’ EP. Alaina’s collab with Wilson joins the other tracks from ‘Unlocked’ — “A Walk In The Bar” and “Hangovers,” in addition to “Don’t Judge A Woman,” “Smaller The Town” and “Like Her.”

When announcing the EP, Alaina said: “I want you to know me. I have a million different nicknames. I’ve worn a lot of different hats, been a lot of things to a lot of people. Truth is, I’ve always just been Lauren. The girl that grew up in a tiny house in Rossville, Georgia, 28 years ago. The person my big brother calls ‘sister,’ even today. The aunt my nieces and nephews call ‘Lala’ when I run to scoop them up off their front porch in my hometown. The girl you met 13 years ago on a TV show, and the woman you’re seeing today. A singer, songwriter, author, actress, dancer, sister, fiancée, daughter, friend. I want you to know me. And the truth is, it took me a long time to get to know me, too. Let’s start where we always have before. My name is Lauren, and my new EP, Unlocked, comes out next week.”

Listen to “Thicc As Thieves” – here.

LISTEN: Lauren Alaina And Lainey Wilson Proudly Flaunt Their Assets In New Duet, ‘Thicc As Thieves’

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

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Pop Daypop

Shawn Mendes shares the single ‘What The Hell Are We Dying For?’

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Shawn Mendes released the new song titled “What the Hell Are We Dying For?” amid the devastating Canadian wildfires.

Mendes, 24, shared the song on social media, noting that he’s making a donation to the Canadian Red Cross alongside the song’s release: ‘WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DYING FOR ? OUT NOW. Started writing this song yesterday morning with my friends in upstate New York & finished it only a few hours ago..felt so important to me to share with you guys in real time ♥♥’  Take a listen to the song – here.

“What the Hell Are We Dying For?” was produced by Mendes and Mike Sabath, and co-written by the pair with Scott Harris and Eddie Benjamin. It was released with a cover image taken of the New York City skyline covered in orange smog from the wildfire smoke.

To stream “What the Hell Are We Dying For?”, head here.

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

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Pop Daypop

Sam Smith shares the song ‘Vulgar’ featuring Madonna

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Sam Smith and Madonna have teamed up for the song “Vulgar”, with Smith sharing in a post on Instagram: “VULGAR is a song that is very special to me. Me, the QUEEN, and a group of some of the most talented people I know, got in the studio the day after the Grammys and we created this piece of music. The creativity was pure and the energy was alive. I’m so excited to share this with you sailors!! VULGAR iS BEAUTIFUL!! Out everywhere now. Love you @madonna.” Madonna also celebrated the song’s release by posting a video of herself with a dance party.

Smith, 31, and Madonna, 64, revealed the title, release date and cover artwork for ‘Vulgar’ last month, which featured close-up black-and-white photos of the duo wearing corsets.  Madonna and Smith previously teamed up at the 2023 Grammy Awards, where the pop icon introduced Smith’s performance of “Unholy” with Kim Petras. After the show, Smith shared a photo with Madonna along with the caption, “Overwhelmed, grateful and inspired. Thank you for your love and support @madonna. I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Take a look at the video for ‘Vulgar’ – here.

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

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Go Country 105

Nashville notes: Ingrid's tour plans + Lee's new merch

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Ingrid Andress has announced that she’s opening for Orville Peck this summer. To view the tour dates and for tickets, visit ingridandress.com.

Lee Brice has unveiled new merchandise, which includes “Drinking Class” and “I Drive Your Truck” T-shirts. Shop the collection at Lee’s merch store now.

Ben Burgess‘ new song, “The Willie,” is out now. The breakup number was solely written by Ben.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.